#itsnotforyou

[Mark H]

Lotus’s intriguing ‘gamechanger’

 

All car companies, including unconventional specialists like Lotus, always make the most ingenious use of their resources, notably around the time of new car launches.

 

One such new car, the exciting Lotus Evora 400 supercar was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show recently. With a maximum speed of 186 mph (300 km/h) and acceleration 0-60 mph of just 4.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds), the new Evora 400 is the fastest car in the Lotus range.

 

With benchmark handling capabilities and a pure driving experience, it is lightweight and efficient and the envy of the supercar scene. So a thought-provoking launch campaign needed to be developed to direct new customers to this thrilling new offering.

 

The solution lies in an ingenious on-line game, accessed through both the Lotus website and ‘teaser’ banner advertisements. By clicking on the banner, which displays a photograph of the stunning Evora 400, a challenge is offered – “Can You Handle It?” along with the instruction to “rollover to discover”.

 

Having done so, the player is now confronted by an opportunity to “Take the Lotus Evora 400 Agility Test” - a timed challenge based on reaction time tests carried out in fighter pilots selection programmes. Then prompted by the on-screen command, “See If You’ve Got What It Takes”, the player feels encouraged to continue, and moving the cursor over an object starts the timer.

 

The test and the fun then starts. But, should the player fail, another unconventional statement highlights that the player is “Pretty good, but perhaps a Bavarian cruiser would be more comfortable?” - it is as unconventional as Lotus has always been – and the line #itsnotforyou a good natured ribbing to an underperforming participant.

 

The game is made all the more compulsive and competitive by the creation of a leader-board, which further encourages on-line participation. It is exciting, exceedingly addictive and very upbeat, appealing to the potential Lotus buyer and their desire for the unusual.

 

The goal is to qualify for an early test drive of the new Lotus supercar, to experience its pure driving agility, which any red-blooded individual is certain to want.

 

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Lotus, says: “The game complies totally with Lotus’s brand values - pure, unconventional and competitive - and the ‘#itsnotforyou’ campaign is fun, addictive and inclusive. We recognise that Lotus is and always has been a challenger and a more effective and efficient approach to our marketing is vital. It encourages alternative thinking through our unconventional approach. Try it now, and if you’re good enough, it might just be for you.”

 

The typical Lotus buyer already knows about the car’s benchmark in handling and its pure driving experience. They want to drive a supercar every day but one that can also be taken to a track day and still perform, with minimal fuss. Light weight and efficient, a Lotus Evora 400 can achieve that, by its affordability and its class-leading performance figures.

 

The Lotus #itsnotforyou game can be played at www.lotuscars.com and linked from www.facebook.com/LotusCars and the Bloomberg website.